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O. C. BOYKINl Patented June 28 THE clams Pmzas co. pHoro-uma. wAsmNnmN, n. c

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'CHRISTOPHER O. BOYKIN, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, OF ONE- FOURTH TO JOI-IN W. STEEL AND HERBERT S. HAZLETTE, OF `SAME PLACE.

LETTER-FILE.

SPECIFICATON forming part of 4ll'letters Patent No. 606,508, dated .Tune 28, 1898.

Applicant nea April 2s, ist?. serrano. 633,477. (Numan.)

To all whom t may concern: j

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. BOY- KIN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at i Norfolk, inthe county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have inventejd a new and useful Letter-File, of which the `following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in letter-tiles. y

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of letter-files and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficientV one capable of readily perforating a letter or other paper preparatory to filing it.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the cutters which perforate the paper from becoming clogged with the cut-out portions and to cause such severed pieces tofall readily from the device.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a letter-tile constructed in accordance with this invention, the hinged filing-rods being swung away from the rigid ones. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, the filing-rods being interlocked. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View showing the spring engaging the hinged filing-rods. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of the base-plate. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the cutting device.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a base-plate secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices to a supporting-board 2 at one end thereof and having a perforation located beyond the board to form a hanger in order that the letter-file may be readily suspended from a nail or other suitable support when it is not in use. The basejacent to one end of the opening 3, and the end portions or pintles of the transverse rib 6 are rounded to iit the bearing-recesses.

The `engaging end of the cutting-lever is extended laterally at each side and is provided with depending cutters 8, while the.

other en d, which forms the hinged portion of the lever, is provided with a raised or angu larly-disposed lip 9. The lip 9 is engaged by a coiled spring l0, and when itis arranged iiat against tlie adjacent portion of the base the engaging portion of the lever is held elevated in position preparatory to cutting a letter or other paper, so that it may be readily strung on filing-wires ll and l2. The coiled spring which holds the engaging portion of the lever normally elevated is mounted on a fastening device 13, such as a bolt or screw, which is connected with the base-plate l at the adjacent end of the opening 3.

The'cutters S, which are provided with V- shaped notches and which consist of a rod or core and a cutting-tube, are constructed substantiallythe same as those shown and described in Letters Patent No. 550,435, grant ed to me November 26, 1895.

The base-plate and the board 2 are provided with registering perforations 14: and 15, lo

cated beneath each cutter, and each perforaldepressed against the action of the spring,

which immediately returns the cutting-lever to its initial position after the hand is removedfroin it, and the body portion of the paperis prevented from `being carried upward by thenutters, as it is arranged beneath a metal plate 1G. The metal plate `1G, which is providedwith perforations to register with the tapering perforations, is mounted in a IOO recessed or reduced portion of the base-plate, and it has its outer edge bent upward to form a flaring mouth to enable the letter or other paper to be cut to be readily introduced beneath it.

The filing-Wires 1l are rigidly mounted on the base-plate at one end thereof, While the other filing-Wires 12, which are connected by a transverse port-ion 17, are hinged to the base-plate and extend through slots of the saine and have their upper ends curved in the direction of the rigid filing-Wires 11. The transverse portion 17 of the hinged filing- Wires extends beneath the base-plate and is engaged by the ends of a lat sprin g 18, which is adapted to hold the hinged Wires at an y adjustmcnt. The iiat spring 18 is centrallysecured to the board 2, and its ends bear against the transverse portion 17 of the filing-Wires near the ends of the same, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying` drawtiling wires or rods are adapted to engage each other automatically When the hinged Wires or rods are forced against the rigid ones.

It will be seen that the bill-file is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that it Will enable aletter or other paper to be quickly perforated and strung on the filing-Wires. It Will also be apparent that the cutter is automatically returned to its initial position and that the severed portions of the paper are automatically discharged from the cutters.

In a letter-file, the combination of a base provided at opposite sides in its upper face With bearing-recesses, a cutting-lever provided between its ends with lugs forming pintles and resting in the bearing-recesses, a fastening device extending through the lever and projecting above the same, anda coiled spring disposed on the fastening device and bearing against the upper face of the lever to hold its cutting end normally elevated, said fastening device serving to support the spring and to secure the lever to the base, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my o'Wn I have hereto affixed my signatu re in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER C. BOYKIN.

W. R. FENTREss, F. A. GILBERT. 

